Automations

Automation schedules an agent conversation for a chosen time and repeats it when you select a recurrence. Each run uses its own model, workspace folder, prompts, parameters, and MCP tool policy. The run creates a chat transcript when it starts. Open transcript is available when that transcript exists.

The sidebar shows Automation after this browser has seen a selectable model. On a new installation, add or enable a suitable model in Models first.

Personal skills selected in ordinary chats are not applied to automation runs. Put the instructions a run needs in its own turns and parameters, and choose its tools in the automation editor.

Create an automation

  1. In the SoAI WebUI, select Automation in the sidebar.
  2. Select Create automation in the Automation toolbar. On a compact toolbar, open More actions first.
  3. Enter a Title, choose a Timezone, and set Start. Auto uses your browser's timezone and shows its name. Check the next-run preview below the schedule; it also shows your local time when another timezone is selected and explains any adjustment for a clock change.
  4. Choose Recurrence: None, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly.
  5. Select an available Model that supports tool calling. Models marked Unavailable or No chat support cannot be used to save the automation. Availability alone does not guarantee tool support. In Turns, enter the first prompt and use Add turn for each follow-up prompt. Each entered turn runs as one agent turn.
  6. Choose a workspace with Choose folder when the run needs files. Recurring runs retain that automation folder.
  7. Use Edit parameters for settings that apply only to this automation, then select Save.

Automations run in Execute mode. The editor has no Chat or Plan mode selector. Use the MCP tools and approval section to choose the tools available to the run. Turn on Require permissions when tool calls must wait for your approval while the automation runs. Loading and choosing tools requires MCP usage (MCP_USE). Before saving, enable tools and the built-in tool server, and select todo_write.

Set a run limit

Max run minutes accepts a value from 1 through 1440. When the limit is reached, SoAI requests cancellation and the final run shows Error with a timeout message. Set a limit that leaves enough time for the model and its selected tools, especially when a run reads files, uses a browser, or waits for external services.

Manage schedules and runs

On a wide desktop layout, the registry beside the calendar contains Automations and Runs. When the available page width is 1,400px or less, select Pane in the Automation toolbar to show that registry over the calendar; it changes to Calendar when the registry is open. The Automations section lists each schedule with an Enabled toggle, an edit control, and a delete control. Disabling a schedule prevents future scheduled runs and marks its queued runs Abandoned; it does not stop a running run.

Before deleting an automation, stop or wait for any queued or running runs; SoAI rejects the deletion while either exists. Deleting it removes the definition and its stored run records, while existing chat transcripts remain available. The Runs section shows upcoming and recent occurrences. Queued and running entries use Stop run; every other entry uses Delete run. Select runs appears when at least two runs are in the current view and lets you remove several entries at once. The confirmation warns that deleting running runs stops them. Select a run to open Details, which can show its plan, progress, and excerpt. Use Open transcript when a transcript exists.

Drag Resize calendar and side pane to adjust their widths. SoAI asks for confirmation before skipping future occurrences, stopping running ones, or removing past ones. You can act on up to 5,000 selected occurrences at once. If the toolbar shows Out of date, select it to refresh.

If someone else saves an automation while you edit it, SoAI shows both sets of changes. Select Keep my changes to keep your edited fields alongside the other saved changes, then review and save again. Load latest version discards your unsaved edits and loads the saved automation.

The WebUI has no Run now button. An authenticated WebUI API client can create an immediate run with POST /api/v1/automations/{automation_id}/run-now.

Automation API

These are account-scoped WebUI API routes. Every route in the table requires Internal session-cookie access (AUTH_COOKIE) through the signed-in user's WebUI session cookie. An OpenAI-compatible API key does not authenticate them.

Purpose Endpoint
Delete occurrences POST /api/v1/automations/occurrences/delete
List or create definitions GET or POST /api/v1/automations
Read occurrences GET /api/v1/automations/occurrences
Read runs GET /api/v1/automations/runs, GET /api/v1/automations/runs/active, or GET /api/v1/automations/runs/{run_id}
Read the MCP tool catalog GET /api/v1/automations/mcp/tools; requires MCP usage (MCP_USE)
Read, update, or delete a definition GET, PATCH, or DELETE /api/v1/automations/{automation_id}
Run a definition immediately POST /api/v1/automations/{automation_id}/run-now

Scheduling limits

An Administrator with Configuration changes (CONFIG_PATCH) selects the Settings button at the right of the header, then Settings, selects the page-header Advanced toggle, then selects Automation. Use the page-header Save control after changing a limit. The scheduler interval is set by AUTOMATION.SCHEDULER_TICK_SECONDS and the number of due entries processed per cycle is set by AUTOMATION.DUE_BATCH_LIMIT. SoAI limits concurrent work with AUTOMATION.MAX_CONCURRENT_RUNS and AUTOMATION.MAX_CONCURRENT_RUNS_PER_USER. Administrators can block unqualified MCP tools through AUTOMATION.DISALLOWED_UNQUALIFIED_TOOLS.

See Planning and agent control tools for the available automation tools and MCP overview for MCP setup and access requirements.

Related documentation